Quincy Institute

Ever wonder who's really shaping US foreign policy? A new database developed by Quincy's own Nick Cleveland-Stout and Ben Freeman exposes think tank funding, and the numbers are shocking. Of think tanks that disclose their donors: 65% take foreign government money (over $110M total) 62% take Pentagon contractor funds ($34.8M) UAE alone spent $16.8M But here's the kicker: 18 of the top 50 think tanks won't reveal their donors at all. For the first time ever, you can track who's funding these independent experts. Search the groundbreaking database: https://lnkd.in/gdbEkQPP

Americans should recall how the Cold War began—and ended. Containment evolved into "paranoid exaggerations" that birthed McCarthyism & the military-industrial complex. Let's not repeat history by opposing peace in Ukraine. Anatol Lieven for The Nation: https://lnkd.in/g_MUKMm5

The Pentagon's free pass in the administration's "efficiency drive" speaks volumes. DOGE's recommendations completely ignore the billions flowing to weapons contractors building "overpriced, underperforming systems." Even highly-criticized programs like the F-35 are being reconsidered only to redirect funds to more drones, not to reduce overall spending. True efficiency would require confronting the special interests shaping our military spending and reimagining our approach to global conflicts. As Quincy's William Hartung notes, the Costs of War project at Brown University calculates America has spent $8 trillion on post-9/11 wars. Read his full analysis here: https://lnkd.in/gvMYCrqB

The Unfinished Mission: Afghan SIVs, U.S. Veterans, & the Legacy of War Throughout the war in Afghanistan, thousands of Afghans served alongside U.S. troops as interpreters, a vital role that kept the mission moving. The Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program was meant to offer them safety in the U.S., yet many remain trapped in legal limbo, facing ongoing threats. Since 2009, the State Department has issued about 117,000 Afghan SIVs. But when Kabul fell on August 15, 2021, 81,000 applicants were still waiting. At least 78,000 were left behind when the last U.S. military plane departed. Eligible SIV applicants have faced numerous obstacles, often relying on humanitarian parole while being stranded abroad due to bureaucratic delays and slow processing. Under the Trump administration, the SIV program has been effectively frozen, leaving approximately 40,000 Afghans in limbo.

The PKK’s Future: Real Dissolution or Strategic Shift? In late February 2025, Abdullah ?calan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), called for the group’s disarmament and dissolution as part of a broader peace initiative with Türkiye, potentially ending a 40-year conflict that claimed approximately 40,000 lives. In response, the PKK declared an immediate ceasefire and expressed willingness to discuss disbanding, provided ?calan could participate in the process. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have also now reached a deal with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led government in Damascus, agreeing to integrate “all civil and military institutions” into the new Syrian state. For Türkiye, the distinction between the SDF and the PKK remains minimal. At the same time, Türkiye views Iran as a destabilizing force in the region, suspecting it may leverage Kurdish groups in a proxy war to counter Turkish influence.

A New Approach to America’s Role in the World Description Join House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) and Quincy Institute executive vice president Trita Parsi for a conversation about the future of Democratic foreign policy and the United States’ role in a changing world. Rep. Smith will reflect on the past four years of Democratic foreign policy, and assess the utility and effectiveness of America's current grand strategy. Does the U.S. need to dominate the world militarily? How should the Democratic Party position itself vis-a-vis Trump if he pursues effective diplomacy with North Korea, Iran or Russia? And how can members of both parties work towards better foreign policy for the U.S.?

It's past time that the U.S. pushed for a negotiated settlement to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Here's why:

?? EVENT ALERT: The Future of Democratic Foreign Policy Join us next Wednesday (March 12th) as House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) sits down with our Executive VP Trita Parsi to discuss America's changing role in the world. This timely conversation comes as we reconsider America's grand strategy and the value of diplomatic engagement over military force. ?? Wednesday, March 12th ? 12:00-1:00 PM ET ?? Virtual Event (Zoom) Register now: https://lnkd.in/gQcuUUMu

Will Trumponomics Shrink or Expand U.S. Influence in the Global South? Very quickly after taking office, the Trump administration has proposed a dizzying range of economic policy initiatives, many of which will likely have a deep impact on developing countries. The threat of tariffs as a broad-spectrum tool to achieve both trade and non-trade goals has rightly taken center stage in this discussion, but many states in the Global South are also exposed to bilateral disagreements with the US over industrial policy strategies as well as to the negative global impacts from US fiscal and monetary policy shifts.

The German Elections and the Future of Europe The German national elections on February 23rd are taking place in the context of the Ukraine War, tensions between the Trump administration and European governments, and a growing political crisis in several European countries. In Germany itself, they may have far-reaching consequences for the political order that has lasted since the West German Federal Republic was created after the Second World War. To discuss the election results and their implications, join a conversation featuring Molly O’Neal, non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute and former U.S. Foreign Service Officer, Wolfgang Streeck, Emeritus Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne & Thomas Fasbender, German journalist. Anatol Lieven, director of the Eurasia program at the Quincy Institute, will moderate.